Sponge mop



y 1955 s. P. VAUGHN 8,283

SPONGE MOP Filed April 19, 1950 l I a i 6% IN VEN TOR.

fm xi United States Patent SPONGE MOP Sidney P. Vaughn, San Diego, Calif. Application April 19, 1950, Seriai No. 156,801 14 Claims. c1. 1s-2 44 My invention relates to a mop.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a scrubbing mop having simplified and improved means for readily detachably securing the cleaning element of the mop to the head plate thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mop 1Z- including a sponge cleaning element or block, and novel means for uniformly and rigidly supporting the sponge block throughout substantially its entire length.

A further object is to provide a mop of the abovementioned character, wherein the means for readily deweight, sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mop embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on lin 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4a is a similar section taken on line 4a-4a of Figure 1 but with the handle and socket removed,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mop cleaning element removed, and,

Figure 5 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of a clip for detachably securing the cleaning element to th head plate of the mop.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral designates generally an elongated rectangular head plate of sheet metal or the like, which is generally flat and substantially rigid. An upstanding tubular socket 11 is arranged at the longitudinal center of the head plate 10, and provided at its lower end with an integral flange 12, rigidly secured to the head plate by spot welding, or the like; The tubular socket 11 receives the usual mop handle 13, as shown. The head plate 10 is formed to provide parallel longitudinal raised ribs or shoulders 14- at its opposite longitudinal edges, and extending throughout its entire length. These longitudinal shoulders 14 may be arcuatein transverse cross section, as shown, and serve to add rigidity to the head plate 10, and also act as guides for a retaining clip to be described.

The head plate 10 is provided at one end with a transverse hinge knuckle or sleeve 15, preferably integral there- 2,798,283 Patented May 17, 1955 with and disposed above the top face of the head plate and between the longitudinal shoulders 14.

A cleaning element or block 16 of cellulosic sponge material, or any other suitable sponge material is provided, and the sponge block 16 is somewhat wider and longer than the head plate 113, as shown. The sponge block 16 is provided in its upper flat face 17 and laterally inwardly of its longitudinal edges with parallel spaced longitudinal grooves 18 and 19, extending throughout the entire length of the sponge block, and through its opposite ends. The top face 17 of the sponge block is entirely covered with a fabric backing sheet 20 or the like, permanently adhesively secured thereto by suitable cement or the like. The backing sheet 20 extends across and covers the tops of the grooves 18 and 19, and forms therewith longitudinal passages or bores extending through the cleaning element at the top thereof.

The sponge block 16 is detachably connected with one end of the head plate 19 by a substantially U-shaped bail or hinge yoke 21 formed of stiff wire or the like, and including an outer transverse end 22 extending through and journaled within the knuckle 15. The bail 21 further includes short depending shoulder portions 23, formed integral with the transverse end 22 and disposed just beyond the ends of the knuckle 15, and these shoulder portions 23 carry elongated parallel longitudinal arms or rods 24, integral therewith and offset downwardly with respect to the transverse end 22.

The arms 24 are spaced apart laterally the proper distance for longitudinal sliding engagement within the grooves 18 and 19 beneath the backing sheet 20, and as best shown in Figure 3, the arms 24 are disposed adjacent to the inner sides of the raised shoulders 14. The backing sheet 21) is provided in its end adjacent to the bail 21 with longitudinal short notches 25 for receiving the depending shoulder portions 23 of the bail when the arms 24 enter the grooves 18 and 19. When the shoulder portions 23 are arranged at the inner ends of the notches 25, the free ends 26 of the arms 24 are disposed substantially at the longitudinal center of the sponge block 16 and beneath the socket 11, Figure 2. The head plate 10 now lies directly upon the backing sheet 20, and the opposite ends of the head plate are spaced a slight distance inwardly of the ends of the sponge block 16 to form end buffer portions, shown best in Figures 1 and 2. Since the sponge block 16 is also slightly wider than the head plate 10, longitudinal buffer portions of the sponge block project laterally beyond the outer sides of the shoulders 14. With the arms 24 mounted within the grooves 18 and 19 as shown and described above, the sponge block 16 is hingedly connected with the right hand end of the head plate 10, Figure 2, and its opposite end is freely swingable away from the head plate in the direction of the arrow B.

A removable clip 27 formed of stiff wire or the like is provided for detachably securing the other end of the sponge block 16 to the head plate 10, and the clip 27 comprises elongated parallel longitudinal arms or rods 28for engagement in the other ends of the grooves 13 and 19, beneath the backing sheet 20. The arms 28 are bent upwardly at their outer ends to form short upstanding arcuate loops or shoulder portions 29, integral therewith, and inturn carrying upper longitudinal arms or sides 30, integral therewith, and spaced above the arms 28. The inner ends of the upper arms 30 terminate near the longitudinal centers of the arms 23, and are integrally connected by a transverse section or bar 31, bent at its longitudinal center to form an upstand ing inclined handle extension or loop 32 at the transverse center of the clip 27. The backing sheet 9 is provided in its end adjacent to the clip 27 with a pair of spaced notches 33, like the notches 25, and adapted amazes to receive the shoulder portions 29 of the clip, When'the same is applied for detachably connecting the sponge block and head plate. The pairs of notches and 33 of the backing sheet 29 are formed directly over the longitudinal grooves 18 and 19, and lead into the grooves, as shown. When the clip 27 is applied tothe head plate 10, and the shoulder portions 29 are at the inner ends of the notches 33, the free ends of the arms 28 are disposed substantially at the longitudinal center of the sponge block 16, in opposed relation to the free ends .26 of the arms 24. The upper arms 3% of the clip 27 are now disposed above the head plate It and laterally inwardly of the raised shoulders 14, which serve :as guides for the clip as the same is shifted longitudinally of the head'plate.

The wire clip 27 is formed so that the upper and lower arms 30 and 28 are resiliently biased together somewhat, so that when the clipis applied to the head plate 19, the head-plate is clamped against the backing sheet 2%) of the sponge block. The head plate 10 is provided in its end adjacent to the notches 33 with companion notches 34, which register with the notches 33 and likewise receive the upturned shoulder portions 2? when the clip 27 is in its innermost position, shown in full lines in Figure 2. The notches 34 are arranged laterally inwardly of the longitudinal shoulders 14.

For releasably locking the clip 27 .in the innermost position, the head plate 10 is formed to provide a transverse upstanding abutment or ,detent 35, betweenxthe shoulders 14 and between the socket 2 and the adjacent end of the head plate. The 'detent 35 has its upper face inclined, as at 36, Figure 2, so that the transverse ,bar .31 may readily pass over the detent and become locked behind the inner-abrupt or vertical side thereof, as shown in Figure 2. The detent 35 is properly located to receive the transverse bar 31 behind it, in the manner shown, when the shoulder portions 29 are at the inner ends of the notches 33 and 34. When so positioned, -the clip 27 serves to support the sponge block 16 from its longitudinal center to the left hand end of the headbar '31 from the detent 35. The clip 27. may now be shifted bodily in the direction of the arrow A, Figure 2, and removed from the mop. When this has been done, the mop cleaning element or block 16 may be swung downwardly and away from the head plate 19,

and the longitudinal arms 24 may be Withdrawn from the bores formed by the grooves 18 and '19 and the backing sheet 20. A new sponge block may now-"be applied to the head plate 10 to replace the old one.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to 'be taken as a pre ferred example of the same, and that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a mop, a head plate, a resilient absorbent sponge element having a top face underlying the head plate, said resilient element being provided in said face with a permanent groove extending through its opposite ends, a backing sheet arranged between the head plate and said face of the sponge element and extending across the top of the groove and secured to the sponge element by an adhesive, a rod carried by the head plate and removably mounted within one end of the groove, and a device removably mounted upon the head plate and including a rod to be removably mounted within the opposite end of the groove.

2. In a mop, a head plate, a resilient absorbent sponge element having a top face underlying the head plate, said sponge element being provided in said face with permanent longitudinal grooves, each groove having its opposite ends extending through opposite ends of said sponge element, a backing sheet arranged between the head plate and said face of the said sponge element and extending over said grooves .and secured to the sponge element by an adhesive, a pair of rods engaging within corresponding ends of the grooves and connected with the head plate, and an adjustable substantially U -shaped clip embracing the other end of the head plate and including sides arranged above the head plate, rods carried by said sides and removably engaging within the opposite ends of the grooves, said head plate having a detent to detachably engage the clip for holding the same in place.

3. In a mop, ahead plate provided upon its outer face with spaced guide ribs, a resilient absorbent sponge element having a top face underlying the head plate, the sponge element being provided in'said face of the absorbent element with spaced permanent longitudinal grooves, each groove having its opposite ends extending throughopposite ends of said sponge element, a backing sheet arranged between the head plate and sponge element and extending over the grooves and secured to the sponge element by an adhesive, a substantially U-shaped bail hingedly connected with the head plate near one end thereof .and including rods engaging within correrods to be removably mounted within the opposite ends of the grooves.

4. A mop comprising an elongated resilient absorbent sponge block having a face provided with permanent longitudinal grooves extending through opposite ends thereof, a backing sheet of substantially the same length as the block and arranged upon said face of the block and .secured to the block by an adhesive and extending over said grooves, said backing sheet being provided at its ends with notches leading into the grooves, a head plate mounted upon the backing sheet and being shorter than the backing sheet, a bail secured to oneend of the head plate and having shoulders which enter the notches at one end of the backing sheet and including rods which enter corresponding ends of the grooves, and an adjustable clip mounted upon the opposite end of the head plate and including shoulders which enter the notches at the opposite end .of the backing sheet and including rods for insertion within the opposite ends of the grooves,

.5.. In a mop, a resilient hygroscopic sponge mopelement having a face, said hygroscopic spongemop element being provided in said face with permanent groovesarranged inwardly of the side edges of the sponge element, a flexible backing sheet mounted upon said face and. secured to the face by an adhesive and covering said grooves, a head plate to which the backing sheet is applied, a first pair of rods adjustably connected with the head plate and removably mounted within corresponding ends of the grooves, a second pair of rods removably mounted within'the opposite corresponding ends of said grooves, and means for detachably mounting the second pair of rods upon the head plate.

6. In a mop, an elongatedresilient hygroscopic sponge cleaning element having a face, said hygroscopic sponge cleaning element being provided in said face with permanent longitudinal grooves arranged inwardly of the side edges of the sponge element, a flexible backing sheet secured to said face by an adhesive and extending over and covering said grooves, 21 head plate upon which the backing sheet is applied, a generally U-shaped bail hinged to one end of the head plate to swing in a direction longitudinally of the head plate, said bale including rods to be removably mounted within corresponding ends of said grooves, rods to be removably mounted within the opposite ends of said grooves, and means carrying the last-named rods and slidably engaging the opposite end of the head plate to be shifted longitudinally thereof for withdrawing the last-named rods from within said grooves.

7. A mop comprising, a head plate, a resilient sponge mop element having a bearing face, said bearing face having elongated permanent grooves cut therein and arranged near the edges of the mop element, each groove having its opposite ends open, a flexible backing sheet mounted upon the said bearing face and secured to the bearing face by an adhesive and covering the open sides of the grooves, first rods mounted upon the head plate and removably mounted within the grooves through corresponding open ends of the grooves, and second rods mounted upon the head plate and removably mounted Within the grooves through their opposite corresponding ends.

8. A mop comprising, a head plate, a resilient sponge mop element having a bearing face, said heating face having elongated permanent grooves cut therein and ar ranged near the edges of the mop element, each groove having its opposite ends open, a flexible backing sheet mounted upon said bearing face and secured to the bearing face by an adhesive and covering the open sides of the grooves, first rods connected with the head plate and removably mounted within the grooves through corresponding ends of the grooves, second rods removably mounted within the opposite corresponding ends of said grooves, and adjustable means to connect the second rods with the head plate so that said second rods may be removed from within said grooves.

9. A mop comprising, a head plate, a resilient sponge element having a bearing face, said bearing face having an elongated permanent groove cut therein, at least one end of the groove being open, a fabric backing sheet which is substantially flat and free from grooves formed therein mounted upon said bearing face and secured to the bearing face by an adhesive and covering the open side of the groove, and a rod mounted upon the head plate and removably mounted Within the groove through its open end, said rod being arranged within the groove beneath the substantially flat fabric backing sheet.

10. A mop comprising, a resilient sponge element having a bearing face, a flexible backing sheet mounted upon the bearing face and secured to the bearing face by an adhesive, said sponge element having an elongated permanent groove entirely cut therein and spaced inwardly from its edge, at least one end of the groove being open, the groove being formed entirely in the sponge element and not in the backing sheet, said groove being covered by the backing sheet for forming a passage, and attaching means including a rod to be passed through the open end of the passage and moved longitudinally within the passage.

11. A cleaning device comprising a sponge element having a bearing face, said bearing face having a plurality of permanent grooves cut therein inwardly of marginal edges of said face, said grooves having their longitudinal axes extending longitudinally of said marginal edges and spaced therefrom, and a flexible backing sheet secured to said face by an adhesive and covering the grooves throughout the major portion of their length between their ends, the flexible backing sheet leaving the end portions of the grooves uncovered, the arrangement being such that attaching means may be inserted Within said grooves beneath the flexible backing sheet in such a manner so as not to extend beyond the ends of the sponge element.

12. A cleaning element comprising an elongated sponge element having a bearing face, said bearing face having a plurality of permanent grooves cut therein which are disposed near and inwardly of the side edges of the sponge element, and a flexible backing sheet secured to said face by an adhesive and covering the grooves throughout the major portion of their length between their ends, the portions of the backing sheet which cover said grooves being spaced inwardly from the ends of the sponge element forming uncovered end groove portions, the arrangement being such that attaching elements may be inserted within the grooves beneath the backing sheet in such a manner not to project beyond the ends of said sponge element.

13. A cleaning element comprising an elongated sponge element having a bearing face, said bearing face having a plurality of permanent grooves cut therein which are disposed near and inwardly of the side edges of the sponge element and extend substantially to the ends of the sponge eiement, a flexible backing sheet secured to said face by an adhesive and covering the grooves throughout the major portion of their length between their ends, the portions of the backing sheet which cover said grooves being spaced inwardly from the ends of the sponge element forming uncovered end groove portions, a head plate arranged upon the flexible backing sheet and having its ends spaced inwardly from the ends of the sponge element, the head plate leaving the end groove portions uncovered, and attaching means for connection with the head plate and including elements for insertion within the grooves beneath the flexible backing sheet, the attaching means when securing the sponge element to the head plate being spaced inwardly from the ends of the sponge element.

14. A cleaning device comprising a sponge element having a bearing face, said bearing face having a permanent groove therein and disposed inwardly of marginal edges of the said bearing face, said groove having its longitudinal axis extending longitudinally of said marginal edges and spaced therefrom, a flexible backing sheet secured to said face by an adhesive and covering the groove throughout the major portion of its length between its ends, the portion of the backing sheet which covers said groove being spaced inwardly from the ends of the groove forming uncovered groove portions, the arrangement being such that attaching elements may be inserted within the groove beneath the backing sheet in such a manner not to extend beyond the ends of the sponge element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,002,268 Hayden Sept. 5, 1911 1,978,950 Lillard Oct. 30, 1934 2,242,140 Murphy May 13, 1941 2,323,568 Rogers July 6, 1943 2,354,969 Trindl Aug. 1, 1944 2,358,673 Vaughn Sept. 19, 1944 2,449,281 Dalton Sept. 14, 1948 2,546,526 Shirley Mar. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 151,259 Austria Nov. 10, 1937 153,706 Germany July 11, 1938 904,390 France Feb. 26, 1945 

